James Makin's Workbench - 1990s dirty diesels & grotty wagons

[TT100 Diesels]

Immense !!!!!!!!!

[G-DIMB]

Hi

A quick question for you. You say you use Humbrol Thinners when removing printed on numbers, sector logos etc from locos but i have tried the same but have found they don't affect them at all. Am i missing something here as if i could get them to curl up like you do it would make some of the modelling projects Ive got to much easier.

Thanks in advance

Richard

[rob D2]

10 minutes ago, G-DIMB said:

Hi

A quick question for you. You say you use Humbrol Thinners when removing printed on numbers, sector logos etc from locos but i have tried the same but have found they don't affect them at all. Am i missing something here as if i could get them to curl up like you do it would make some of the modelling projects Ive got to much easier.

Thanks in advance

Richard

If you are talking Bachmann decals , it seems to depend very much on which model, even which version of the 37 !

I had a 37706 body , which enamel thinners took the sector decals off dead easy .

I have a 37428 body , which they didn’t move . I’m having to use T cut but predictably it’s jiggered the grey where I have rubbed hard to get the decals off , needing a respray .

 

very variable.

 

[James Makin]

1 hour ago, G-DIMB said:

Hi

A quick question for you. You say you use Humbrol Thinners when removing printed on numbers, sector logos etc from locos but i have tried the same but have found they don't affect them at all. Am i missing something here as if i could get them to curl up like you do it would make some of the modelling projects Ive got to much easier.

Thanks in advance

Richard

Hi Richard!

 

Out of interest, which specific loco have you had the challenges with so far? It’s always useful to know as Rob says above, it’s such a mixed bag as to which ones will cause issues and which will be fine!

 

When I come up against a problem loco, the other method I’ll try is a curve-bladed scalpel, and gently rub across the printing but with almost no pressure applied, gently working away and filing down the raised printing back to the base paint layers underneath.

 

Sometimes I’ll have to use a combo of the two methods, gently scraping away the top sheen from the printed branding, and then adding a little enamel thinners on a cotton bud, which seems more effective once the shiny top layer of printing has been gently scratched back, so that could be worth a try!
 

I’ve had issues with selected older Bachmann models (pre-2015), Heljan stuff and similarly older Hornby models - I actually wonder if something in the printing techniques used in the various Chinese factories as most modern releases are generally an absolute breeze to strip off!
 

Having said that, I’ve had an absolute nightmare recently with some factory-weathered Bachmann Railfreight Distribution 47306s being pumped out by Kernow for good prices, produced around 2017, and thought, great, that’ll be easy to work on, only to find that the thinners would have a delayed effect, having removed the nameplates easily and dried off, but within a few hours it had set in and bleached out the entire top grey on each of the ones tackled, requiring a batch of repaints, disaster! 
 

Hope that helps a bit and possibly some of the techniques may be worth a try! As Rob says sometimes it does just go pear shaped and you are left doing a part-respray, I make a note of which bodyshells are the troublemakers and then try avoiding those as donors for future projects!  
 

Cheers,

James

[sb67]

Hello James, 

I've been looking at your posts about weathering VDA/VAA wagons, apologies if I've missed it but what colours did you use for the Railfreight red/grey livery? 

 

Cheers.

Steve. 

 

[Daddyman]

12 hours ago, James Makin said:

curve-bladed scalpel ... combo of the two methods ... enamel thinners ... delayed effect

 

13 hours ago, rob D2 said:

enamel thinners ... T cut ... jiggered the grey ... needing a respray .

I've only ever used Halfords' 1500 wet-and-dry paper to remove RTR printing. Use it very wet (and maybe even pre-worn) and go slowly - ten minutes is not too long to not ruin a model. Fold it and use an edge for small things such as depot stickers. And watch that you're not inadvertently rubbing the surrounding area. The sandpaper will create a shiny patch, but that's good for decal adhesion anyway, and then use Ronseal "Mattcoat" (actually satin) to touch up once the decals are on - it's a very good match for Bachmann's finish. 

 

EDIT: your JSAs are superb, by the way.  

 

EDIT 2: Oh, wait, so is everything else.... 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Daddyman

[ruggedpeak]

14 hours ago, G-DIMB said:

Hi

A quick question for you. You say you use Humbrol Thinners when removing printed on numbers, sector logos etc from locos but i have tried the same but have found they don't affect them at all. Am i missing something here as if i could get them to curl up like you do it would make some of the modelling projects Ive got to much easier.

Thanks in advance

Richard

If I may comment as someone without a high level of skill and finesse and who has a habit of damaging models when trying all sorts of methods of removing tampo printing, I ended using this stuff

 

https://www.lux-modellbau.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=247 (Firefox has just added a translation tool in the latest update...)

 

Same stuff is also branded by Herpa as it seems to have a big following in model vehicles on the continent.

 

It works for me, basically put this stuff on top of the actual printing and let it dry for a minute or so then the printing hardens and  can be scraped off like the top of a scratchcard. Saved me butchering several ribbed sides of Hornby 67's. Definitely works. Doesn't seem to be sold in the UK but can be bought via Ebay.

Edited September 29, 2023 by ruggedpeak
typos

[SouthernMafia]

On 28/09/2023 at 23:27, James Makin said:

Having said that, I’ve had an absolute nightmare recently with some factory-weathered Bachmann Railfreight Distribution 47306s being pumped out by Kernow for good prices, produced around 2017, and thought, great, that’ll be easy to work on, only to find that the thinners would have a delayed effect, having removed the nameplates easily and dried off, but within a few hours it had set in and bleached out the entire top grey on each of the ones tackled, requiring a batch of repaints, disaster! 

 

Snap !!

 

[James Makin]

Thanks for the kind comments guys! It’s always useful to know the other techniques that have been built up over the years to despatch various printing and branding into oblivion, and useful tips to add to the arsenal! 

 

On 29/09/2023 at 07:17, sb67 said:

Hello James, 

I've been looking at your posts about weathering VDA/VAA wagons, apologies if I've missed it but what colours did you use for the Railfreight red/grey livery? 

 

Cheers.

Steve. 

 

Thanks Steve, I must admit the shades here are just hand-mixed by eye to the photos found of each wagon, they are normally so faded that no official colour would match so I’ll tend to fade down a bright red with a dollop of white and keep going from there! Then similar with the greys too, and I love using Phoenix paints over Humbrol as they brush nicely straight from the tin with just a single coat, just mixing in various shades until happy!
 

On 30/09/2023 at 09:53, SouthernMafia said:

 

Snap !!

 

 

Eek! That is an unwelcome surprise to get, feeling your pain there! What starts as a simple renumber/rebrand suddenly becomes a much more involved project!
 

The weathering on that version is unusually stubborn too, other Bachmann locos seemed much easier to play around with, so steering well clear of this release in future..!
 

Cheers,

James

[sb67]

4 hours ago, James Makin said:

Thanks Steve, I must admit the shades here are just hand-mixed by eye to the photos found of each wagon, they are normally so faded that no official colour would match so I’ll tend to fade down a bright red with a dollop of white and keep going from there! Then similar with the greys too, and I love using Phoenix paints over Humbrol as they brush nicely straight from the tin with just a single coat, just mixing in various shades until happy!

 

Thanks James, I've got 3 or 4 VDA's I want to re paint to late 80's early 90's condition and I'm not sure what to paint them. I'd like 1 to be a departmental wagon. 

[James Makin]

I've been busy beavering away on the next batch of locos joining the fleet, which currently totals another 39 new diesel locomotives for my Didcot Parkway layout fleet, some of which are now ready to be unveiled, whilst others continue to go through my filthy weathering works!

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Joining the fleet this week are a pair of classic Railfreight Distribution 'Duff's in the form of 47186 Catcliffe Demon and 47312 Parsec of Europe. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

These are based on the Bachmann model of 2013 vintage, the original 47365 'Diamond Jubilee' model, which is great fodder for a cheeky renumber! 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The branding comes off nicely with a touch of Humbrol enamel thinners on a cotton bud, lifting soon after application. It's wise to go careful on the upper grey behind the nameplates, but with a gentle touch on the cotton bud and a little patience the branding just lifts away. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The next stage is to gloss varnish the de-numbered bodyshells, ready for application of sharp new decals from Railtec and etched plates from Fox. 

 

My favourite way of applying etched nameplates is to use varnish as an adhesive - in this case Railmatch matt varnish, smeared on the back with a cotton bud, and then the plate just dropped into place. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The good thing about using varnish is the extra long drying time meaning you can get the positioning bang on - nothing worse than realising it's wonky afterwards! Any overspill of varnish then disappears once the next layer of matt varnish is applied - another cunning bodge disguise!

 

Having waited for a month after the coat of matt varnish, it was time for the fun weathering stage to begin.

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The recommended soundtrack for Railfreight Distribution projects is a bit of Olivia Rodrigo, just as the layers of paint-on & wipe-off Humbrol's are applied - coats of light brown, 186 and darker brown 251, applied neat and then wiped away with both kitchen towel and cotton buds dipped in enamel thinners, in line with previous locos featured on these pages. 

 

After applying the paints, further little details were added in the form of rust patches and marks, using fine 5/0 brushes. I like adding the 'emo eyes' around these RfD locos, where the Bachmann window frames are only edged in black, it's easy to see the thickness of the bodyshell around the glazing, so a layer of black around the window frame helps to hide this.

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Meanwhile, up on the roof, some Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal is dry brushed on and later rubbed with a cotton bud to highlight the exposed surfaces on the roof and cantrail grilles.

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Each model was reassembled and then airbrush weathered using my two-decade old trusty Badger 175 airbrush, spraying on layers of Phoenix Paint's brake dust, track dirt, roof dirt, dirty black and a special mix of black & blue for the oily exhaust deposits on the roof. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47186 Catcliffe Demon was relatively unusual amongst the Railfreight Distribution fleet having red-backed nameplates and even a red depot plaque on one side!

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

One extra work element undertaken on this loco was the alternative boiler port arrangement being modelled, with the circular blanking plate version being added, using plasticard glued onto the roof after the original rectangular port was removed. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

By early 1998, the Distribution logos on the real 47186 had faded, so this was replicated by applying layers of white over the original branding, muting down the colours to match the prototype.

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47312 Parsec of Europe is just another member of the once-expansive RfD fleet, and will be used on Ministry of Defence traffic, much as the real thing found itself on at Didcot back in 1998. It will look rather at home on the front of a load of the Cavalex Warflats! 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

A wire hoop is added to the bufferbeam at one end of the loco to let it haul the train using tension-lock couplings from the wagons, allowing for the full bufferbeam pipework to be retained. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

One of the fun things about 47312 was the scarring left from removal of the old Tinsley depot plaques, not only the bolt holes but the rainwater and surface rust marking from beneath the plaques, all recreated using the fine paint brushes again, dipped in various brown and light grey paints. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Up on the roof, the fibreglass panels were given a treatment of the same paint-on/wipe-off weathering as on the bodysides, and then followed up by the wafting airbrush treatment of the roof grey, dirty black and my usual custom black & blue mix for the exhaust fume oily deposits.

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

It's been great fun to bring these old Railfreight Distribution monsters to life again - the real 47186 having been withdrawn from service in late 1998, and 47312 in early 1999. Like so many other forgotten freight 47s, the pair would both eventually succumb to the mighty gas axe, with 47312 meeting its maker in 2003 at Wigan CDRC, whilst 47186 managed to cling onto life until 2007 before being demolished by EMR at Kingsbury. 

 

47186 and 47312 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

There'll be many more fun locos to grace the pages in the coming months, and eagle-eyed viewers at today's Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes may have spotted a cheeky glimpse of my latest project tucked away in the Accurascale display cabinet...full story coming soon!

 

Cheers,

James

[Nick G]

Great work as usual James.

[Chris56057]

Superb work James, it's nice to see that the older Bachmann 47 can still be an ideal candidate for a detailing project 👍

[rob D2]

Very nice work !

[WCML100]

Great work james! Particularly like the faded through distribution logo! 👍🏻

[sb67]

Hi James, I was wondering where you start with painting Executive Dark Grey? I've tried adding black to various greys but can't seem to get the mix right, there seems to be another colour in there? 

I guess I could get some railmatch ready mixed but fancied trying your approach.

 

Cheers,

Steve. 

[G-DIMB]

On 28/09/2023 at 23:27, James Makin said:

Hi Richard!

Snipy Snip

Out of interest, which specific loco have you had the challenges with so far? It’s always useful to know as Rob says above, it’s such a mixed bag as to which ones will cause issues and which will be fine!

 

Cheers,

James

Hi James

Its mainly the Bachmann 37430 that i want to renumber to WHL line versions. Ive used cocktail sticks and a little bit of T-Cut before but Ive not done of the new ones yet and as they will be considerably more money i dont want to make a start and ruin them!

 

Richard

[Daddyman]

9 hours ago, G-DIMB said:

Hi James

Its mainly the Bachmann 37430 that i want to renumber to WHL line versions. Ive used cocktail sticks and a little bit of T-Cut before but Ive not done of the new ones yet and as they will be considerably more money i dont want to make a start and ruin them!

 

Richard

I've done a few of the new Bachmann 37s, including 37430 to a WHL example. I used Halford's 1500 wet and dry used wet. I doubt it's any more abrasive than T-Cut.  

[Rhysb]

Incredible work! As M&S would say... There is weathered Duff's and then there is James Makin weathered Duff's!

 

Rhys

[James Makin]

Thanks for all the kind words guys! 

 

On 15/10/2023 at 10:47, Chris56057 said:

Superb work James, it's nice to see that the older Bachmann 47 can still be an ideal candidate for a detailing project 👍

Cheers Chris, I must admit I do love these old 47s, the model is basic but so easy to work on, my only slight niggle is the size of the headcode marker lights, but the new-gen Bachmann model doesn’t quite convince me in this area either, so I figured I’m best off staying with these! I love the battery box underframe detail of the new model though, so I’m looking into buying spares here as it would save a lot of time scratchbuilding the gear on the battery-box-only models! 

 

On 16/10/2023 at 20:11, sb67 said:

Hi James, I was wondering where you start with painting Executive Dark Grey? I've tried adding black to various greys but can't seem to get the mix right, there seems to be another colour in there? 

I guess I could get some railmatch ready mixed but fancied trying your approach.

 

Cheers,

Steve. 

Hi Steve! It depends on what I’m painting to start, if it’s a new-condition model I’d go for a Phoenix Exec Dark Grey pre-mixed, but if it’s an older weathered effect model then you may as well go for a more generic dark grey and mix by eye to a photo, but it’s normally easier to just buy the Phoenix ones where possible!  

 

On 16/10/2023 at 21:49, G-DIMB said:

Hi James

Its mainly the Bachmann 37430 that i want to renumber to WHL line versions. Ive used cocktail sticks and a little bit of T-Cut before but Ive not done of the new ones yet and as they will be considerably more money i dont want to make a start and ruin them!

 

Richard

That sounds a lovely project! It’s great hearing the different techniques, I know Humbrol enamel thinners would lift that printing off in a flash but it totally is a leap of faith and there’s nothing worse than the sinking feeling of when it goes wrong! Very best of luck there for whichever method you do use! 
 

Cheers,

James

[James Makin]

Time for some hot stuff!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

In my opinion (albeit probably clouded in nostalgia!) the Virgin CrossCountry red & grey is up there amongst the top liveries ever worn by the Class 47s and I'm excited to unveil a couple more of the much-missed ILRA CrossCountry machines in the fleet. 

 

Back in my trainspotting days, the 47/8s were amongst the absolute top-link fleet, zipping up and down connecting the country together on a procession of long-distance trains and really leaving a mark on my childhood spotting experiences, whether blasting through Didcot or providing some excitement down at Brighton in a change from the regular diet of slam-door EMUs. 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

For some years now I've been gradually working my way through the fleet, ticking the numbers off, and today we have Virgin-liveried 47822 Pride of Shrewsbury and 47827 being readied for frontline service.

 

Here's how it started...

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

I've done plenty of Virgin repaints in the past, but with Bachmann's 2017 release of 47814 on the old-gen model, it really makes it unnecessary these days! The only challenge is that they modelled the first Virgin repaint on '814, with the exceptionally large wrap-around yellow warning panel which needs scraping back to enable an easier renumber to other Virgin 'Duffs'.

 

There are quite a few variations on the yellow panels, so it's worth consulting the prototype photos before starting work, gently scraping away with a curve-bladed scalpel, revealing the base grey paint underneath.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The numbers and nameplates just lift away beautifully with a splash of Humbrol enamel thinners. We've spoken on these pages recently about removing numbers and I'm pleased to report that on all my 47814s, removing the branding is an absolute breeze, and so satisfying to watch it peeling away before the eyes!

 

Having done this, the bodyshells were given a usual spray of Railmatch gloss varnish, over which decals were added from Fox Transfers and nameplates attached with a splosh of more varnish, before being given a blow over with Railmatch matt varnish, and left for a month to harden.

 

Now the weathering fun could begin..!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Starting on the roof, a paint-on & wipe-off layer of dark grey meant that the jet black roof could be toned down, the grey slightly bleaching the paintwork and also building up deposits in the hard-to-reach areas.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Moving down to the bodysides, and accompanied by some classic Gerry Cinnamon, the sides would be kept clean but with dirt deposits in the recessed areas on the body, so again a layer of neat paint was added and wiped away. Here the colours used would be Humbrol dark brown enamels, and wiped away whilst still wet using kitchen towel and cotton buds, dipped in enamel thinners.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47822 was given a little extra coating of grime following photographs of the prototype - whilst the machines would be kept pretty clean, some of the mileages on the longer trips meant a fair journey between cleaning and so they did occasionally manage to pick up some good road dirt and and streaking down the body, which makes for great fun to model!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

On the ends, the bright yellow was toned down by another coat of dark brown, just one layer makes a huge difference to the appearance! 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr 

 

The differences between the locos have been modelled where possible, with the different jumper cable arrangement being included on 47822, with some mouldings being retrieved from the spares box. A small hole was drilled in the bottom of this, and was then connected to the other end of the jumper plug on the chassis, using fine fuse wire as can be seen in the finished photos below.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Extra weathering was applied to each yellow end as required, the headcode panels for example have picked up dirt in the recesses, along with small chips and dirt splattering that the prototypes had picked up in the 1998-1999 period modelled. 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

47822 Pride of Shrewsbury has been a long time coming, having been one of the early recipients of the bright Virgin colour scheme and even featuring in an old Hornby trainset, it has been on the to-model list for many years!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

As part of the different jumper cable arrangement, the extra orange pipework was added up the sides of the bufferbeam, being just fine 0.33mm brass wire, bent to shape and glued on with PVA, before being painted up. 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Bufferbeam pipework was added, also from 0.33mm brass wire, bent to shape and superglued into the bufferbeam, along with the stock screw coupling supplied by Bachmann. 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Each model was then given a traffic weathering, the usual application of Phoenix Paint's brake dust, track dirt, roof dirt, dirty black and finally my custom mix of black & blue for the exhaust grime to finish. 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

In line with other models, the cantrail grilles were dry brushed in Humbrol MetalCote Gun Metal (no. 27004), which was then gently rubbed with a cotton bud once dry, and this then brings out the detail in the slats and divider bars.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Moving through to partner 47827, the notable variation here was the flush-front end, contrasting with 47822.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The headcode panel at the No.2 end was filled with Humbrol model filler and left to set, but with cocktail sticks poked through the marker light holes to preserve their original position, to avoid having to re-drill these and getting it wrong!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

One of the things I love about 47827 is that it was a relatively unsung hero in the fleet, no name, no glory, and just one of many Virgin 47s that we took for granted until they were no more! 

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Gentle drybrushing of the gunmetal on the chassis has helped bring out some of the oily patches on the bogies and fuel tank, whilst also helping to bring out the hard edges on the bogie frames.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The flush front is shown to good effect, after being filled and sanded with the Humbrol model filler, it was given two base coats of white paint before being painted over with yellow. I took extra care here to give a solid base coat as I've caught myself out in the past with flush headcode panels where even after the yellow was sprayed, you could still see some of the colour differences beneath, nightmare situation!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Up on the roof, the top grilles were also picked out with some drybrushing of the gunmetal, and the weathering over the semi-opaque fibreglass panels is visible too. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the boiler details are changed for 47822, with the round-plated design being present, compared to the rectangle version on 47827.

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

What I do like is that from a distance these are similar locos, but closer up there are a range of minute differences between the pairing!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

It's lovely to preserve two more of the classic Virgin ILRA fleet in model form. Happily, both of the prototypes modelled here are still out there on the network today, both in the form of the 'Bodysnatcher' Class 57/3s. Somewhat alarmingly (making me feel rather old!), over twenty-one years ago now, these were rebuilt for the Virgin West Coast 'Thunderbird' fleet, with 47822 and 47827 emerging as 57305 Alan Tracy and 57302 Virgil Tracy respectively.

 

The pair have since enjoyed a variety of different colour schemes including Network Rail yellow, Northern Belle, DRS and ROG blue, though in your author's opinion, none of these are a patch on classic Virgin CrossCountry here!

 

47822 and 47827 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

With everything complete, it's time to put these locos to work hauling some top-link CrossCountry services!

 

Cheers,

James

[sb67]

They look superb James, understated but obviously used!

I'm struggling to get a certain effect on some VDA wagons, I think I'm colour blind in the sense that I look at a prototype photo and can't work out which colours to use. Do you have a list of your weathering colours at all?

What's also frustrating is I haven't got a decent paint stockist near me, only a limited Revell or Tamiya stock in Hobbycraft. That said I'm determined to get the hang of this! 

Also, is it dark colours first then light of the other way around? 

Edited November 1, 2023 by sb67

[The Fatadder]

Very nice work there James, a particularly good job on the flush end conversion which from experience on 47815 is a swine of a job to get just right.   You are making me think after going to town on GWT 47s this year, in 2024 I should address the balance with some more Virgin once to accompany 47817...

[WCML100]

Love the subtle differences. Great work as always mate! 

[Swifty11]

Great work James, they look so smart